Solids flow meter for integrated boiler control system

Abstract

A combustion control system [ 100 ] for a combustion system [ 7 ] having a plurality of fuel pipes [ 5 ]. The combustion control system [ 100 ] including a plurality of flow meters [ 10 ], a controller [ 8 ], fuel flow controls [ 11 ] and secondary air controls [ 61,62,72 ]. Each meter [ 10 ] is adapted to monitor flow of fuel within a respective one of the fuel pipes [ 5 ] by sensing a pressure field within the fuel pipe [ 5 ]. A controller [ 8 ] receives the flow information from each of the flow meters [ 10 ], to evaluate performance of the combustion system [ 7 ]. Controller [ 8 ] also providing control information for controlling the flow of secondary air dampers [ 61,62,71 ] into the combustion system [ 7 ], and optionally controlling the flow of fuel in each fuel pipe [ 5].

1 . A combustion control system [ 100 ] for a furnace [ 7 ] comprising a plurality of fuel pipes, the system comprising:
 a plurality of flow meters [ 10 ], each meter [ 10 ] adapted for monitoring a flow of fuel within a respective one of the fuel pipes [ 5 ] by sensing a pressure field within the fuel pipe [ 5 ]; and   a controller [ 8 ] for receiving flow information from each of the flow meters [ 10 ], evaluating performance of the furnace [ 7 ], and providing control information for controlling secondary air flow into said furnace [ 7 ].   
     
     
         2 . The combustion control system [ 100 ] as in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one secondary air flow control [ 61 , 62 , 71  ] for receiving the control information and controlling the secondary air flowing into said furnace [ 7 ]. 
     
     
         3 . The combustion control system [ 100 ] as in  claim 1 , wherein the controller [ 8 ] comprises fuel characterization data for qualifying the flow information. 
     
     
         4 . The combustion control system [ 100 ] as in  claim 1 , wherein the controller [ 8 ] comprises an input for receiving operational information comprising at least one of temperature information and flue gas composition information. 
     
     
         5 . The combustion control system [ 100 ] as in  claim 1 , further comprising machine executable instructions stored on machine-readable media, the instructions comprising instructions for:
 estimating fuel flow information; and   adjusting at least one secondary air flow control according to the fuel flow information.   
     
     
         6 . The combustion control system [ 100 ] as in  claim 5 , further comprising instructions for at least one of:
 initiating the estimating; and   shutting down the flow meter.   
     
     
         7 . The combustion control system [ 100 ] as in  claim 5 , further comprising instructions for controlling secondary air flow according to operational information. 
     
     
         8 . The combustion control system [ 100 ] as in  claim 1 , wherein the flow meter [ 10 ] is adapted for monitoring a multi-phase flow. 
     
     
         9 . The combustion control system [ 100 ] as in  claim 1 , wherein the flow meter [ 10 ] comprises clamping features for clamping to the fuel pipe [ 5 ]. 
     
     
         10 . The combustion control system [ 100 ] as in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sound-based sensors [ 10 ] is disposed at predetermined axial locations along the fuel pipe [ 5 ]. 
     
     
         11 . A method [ 20 ] for controlling operation of a combustion system [ 7 ], the method comprising:
 obtaining fuel flow information [ 22 ] from at least one fuel tube [ 5 ] from a flow meter [ 10 ], each flow meter [ 10 ] comprising a sensor for sensing information regarding a pressure field within a respective fuel pipe [ 5 ] carrying the flow of fuel to the nozzle [ 6 ];and adjusting at least one air flow control [ 61 , 62 , 71 ] according to the fuel flow information.   
     
     
         12 . The method [ 20 ] as in  claim 11 , wherein the step of adjusting comprises the steps of:
 calculating the optimal air flow for the fuel flow information obtained;   converting the calculated optimal air flow to an approximate damper opening setting; and   adjusting at least one damper to the approximate damper opening setting.   
     
     
         13 . The method [ 20 ] as in  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the obtaining [ 21 ] and the adjusting [ 23 ] is performed on a real-time basis. 
     
     
         14 . The method [ 20 ] as in  claim 11 , further comprising referencing characterization data to refine an estimate of the flow information. 
     
     
         15 . The method [ 20 ] as in  claim 11 , wherein controlling the flow of fuel comprises controlling a flow of coal from a pulverizer [ 2 ]. 
     
     
         16 . The method [ 20 ] as in  claim 11 , wherein the adjusting is performed to improve an efficiency of the combustion system [ 7 ]. 
     
     
         17 . The method [ 20 ] as in  claim 11 , wherein the adjusting is performed to limit formation of pollutants by the combustion system [ 7 ].